Games
by Fraulein Hilde
Summary: You’re not as clever as you think, Sakura Haruno. This game ends today.


Title: Games

Summary: You're not as clever as you think Sakura Haruno. This game ends today. (Sequel to Please)

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You're not as clever as you think Sakura Haruno

I can almost hear you thinking to yourself, "Oh hey, I know, I'll pretend like I'm going to kiss Ino, and then I'll just leave. Also, I think I should start doing this everyday. Yep, sounds like a plan to me."

_And you do this because?_

However, Sakura, you made one very important mistake. You forgot that I am _Ino Freaking Yamanaka. _Just a tiny oversight on your part, I would say. Perhaps I will give you a much deserved reminder of who you're dealing with. Certainly, you may have a little more power over me than I would like, but that doesn't mean you will ever have a chance to know that.

_Hmmm...let's see..._

Keeping an eye on the comings and goings outside of the shop, I was ever watchful for a glimpse of Sakura. I knew she would come, she always did. And this time, she had a surprise or two in store for her. That's right! The balance of power between us was shifting back where it belongs...in my favor. Yup, the yin and yang of this flirting game was changing. Well, actually, one could say the ball would be returned to my side of the court. Or, hmmm...maybe it's more a case of changing the name of this game to ...!

"Hello Ino," Sakura murmured. "How ya doin'?"

_Shit! Where did SHE come from?  
_  
".. er- herlo, I mean.." _Herlo! Herlo is not a word! _"Uh, hey, Sakura. I'm good." 

She smiled politely at me, either oblivious to my odd choice of wording, or just too polite to comment on it. _Darnit, probably the latter. _

And then, of course, it started. The _routine_. She started walking aimlessly around the shop, never once looking at me, only at the flowers, as I stood at the counter watching her with my Mona Lisa smile firmly in place. _You have no idea._ Never once taking my eyes off her, I watched as she gazed, distractedly fiddling with all the beautiful flowers, gradually making her way over to the counter. _To me. _

I saw her pause, which I thought may have been nervous hesitation, and then she walked up to the counter and slowly raised her arm to place one perfect single carnation behind my ear, avoiding direct eye contact all the while. Slowly and steadily, her arm fell back to her side, and without a word she turned and started for the door. At that point, I had lost quite a bit of confidence, not having said something earlier as I had planned. Somehow I'd lost my rhythm as I'd become mesmerized while watching her, and the words that had seemed so clear earlier had become a chaotic mess in my head. It seemed impossible to even remember the diabolical plan I'd carefully laid out in my mind just this morning. 

Panic-stricken at seeing my plan turn into an utter disaster, I slid out from my place behind the counter and darted ahead of Sakura, vaguely aware of hearing her utter a small sound of shock. I flew to where the 'open' sign was, and snapped it over to 'closed'.

"And where are you going Sakura?"

"Ino?" She blinked her large green eyes at me, which I adored oh-so very much, confusion clearly etched across her face. "What are you doing?"

_I had no idea what the hell I was doing._

"Ah, Sakura-chan," I leaned against the door, folding my arms across my chest. "You come here everyday, and you don't even buy any flowers, I think that's a little rude." I was stalling for time, hoping my mind would start working properly again.

For awhile, she didn't say anything. And I started to wonder if maybe I had said something wrong. Finally, when the silence became too much, and I felt myself starting to crack, she finally spoke.

"Ah, sorry. Next time, I promise." She gave me a strange little smile, and continued to make her way towards me, obviously expecting me to move.

I felt a little embarrassed by this point, but I knew that I simply could not let her walk out that door. Letting her leave now would ruin any chance I had, now that I had called her on her odd little habit of coming everyday, only to leave as quietly as she came, there was a very good chance that she would be unsure of coming again tomorrow, or after that. _If you screw this up now... _

So, setting all nervousness aside, I boldly stood in my place, raising a brow at her dumbstruck face. "Sakura-chan, I'm surprised at you, trying to leave so soon when I wasn't even finished talking! Sheesh. That's really not very polite, you know."

Sakura gazed at me for a few heartbeats, and I watched several expressions cross her face. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, as though an earthquake had suddenly started shaking everything, she became angry, with hands on hips, chin in air, and fury pouring from her eyes. Whoa...now this was a Sakura I hadn't seen for awhile. I caught my breath and watched her, fascinated, wondering what was going to happen.

"How dare you, Ino!" Sakura rasped out, hands fisted in front of my face.. "Get out of my way right now."

I could feel a slow smile coming over my face and a slow tingle traveling over my entire body. Sakura was magnificent. Absolutely magnificent. I couldn't help myself. I put my head back and laughed harder than I'd ever laughed before.

Suddenly I heard a small soft voice, "Please, Ino, don't laugh at me...please."

I stopped laughing as suddenly as I'd began, looking straight into Sakura's eyes, seeing the hurt and confusion there, and I suddenly realized... _this really wasn't a game! _This was about two very real and vulnerable hearts. Hers and mine. _It was time to stop playing around. _

And then, I did what I'd fantasized doing for such a long time. I reached out and gently cupped her cheeks with the palms of my hands, drawing her toward me, and I kissed her, softly yet deeply, as if by doing so I could share with her all the emotions I'd been bottling up inside me for such a long time, to make her understand.

As I dropped my hands and stood back I wondered what would happen next. All I could do was look at her, trying to show her with my eyes what I was feeling, and wait to see how she would choose to respond.. _In truth, the ball was now in her court. _It must have been only a few seconds, but it seemed like an eternity, and I realized that in my mind I was repeating, over and over, "Please...please."

"Uh, Ino?"

"Yes," I managed a rather ragged whisper, "uh, what?"

"Ino, would you kiss me again?"

My heart constricted into a small painful ball in my chest as I felt myself lunge forward, putting my arms around Sakura, pulling her tight against me She angled her head ever so slightly, gazing into my eyes, and just before I placed my lips on hers I saw her eyes slowly close, as if acknowledging she was yielding to me. As I tenderly ran my tongue across her lower lip I felt her mouth open and heard her make a small murmur of surprise,. Kissing Sakura, exploring and tasting her, was as amazing as I'd always fantasized it would be. Suddenly I felt my heart loosening it's painful grip on me as I deepened the kiss, losing myself in her. And,..._Sakura was kissing me back! _There wasn't anything tentative or half hearted in her response to me, I realized, as I felt her arms come stealing up around my neck. Suddenly her hands were sliding into my hair, leaving fiery trails everywhere they touched, wrapping handfuls of my hair around her fingers and pulling me closer...closer..

I lost all sense of time, but finally had to pull back a little to catch my breath. once more wondering what would happen next. I slowly opened my eyes to find myself gazing into hers. She looked as dazed as I felt, and I thought I could feel her heart pounding against mine.

_Say something Sakura! Dammit...say anything!_

"Well," she finally whispered, as she nestled against me, her voice husky and her breath soft as silk against my ear, "it's about time."

_She's trailing kisses down my neck,...oh my god!...I think I'm gonna die._

And I wondered, just for a few seconds, if this is what Shikamaru meant when he said, "Girls are so troublesome."


End file.
